Bats
Learn about the bats of the San Diego River
There are 23 bat species in San Diego County, and 5 of these species are at-risk. The San Diego River Watershed is home to at least 16 different bat species.
The San Diego River Park Foundation is raising awareness about these amazing critters which are so important to the river's ecosystem, and sharing what we've learned from documenting bats at many places along the San Diego River and its tributaries.
What's so cool about bats?
- Bats are vital to our ecosystem
- Bats help by distributing seeds
- Bats are great pollinators
- Bats eat mosquitos and other pests
- Bats use echolocation to navigate and can determine size, shape, speed, and direction as they detect different features
- Bats are the only flying mammal
Join a Bat Walk
We host monthly educational bat walks from May through October. If you would like to learn more about bats and observe them in their natural habitat, join us for a walk!
Contact Natalie or call us at 619-297-7380 to learn about our next event. Please note that since we see less bat activity in the cooler months, we may not hold an event until the spring when it gets warmer.
Support the bat population of the San Diego River Watershed
With your help we can take actions to conserve these amazing critters!
Our Bat Conservation Program
On one of the properties we conserved along Boulder Creek at the base of Cuyamaca Peak, we identified an old mine where we found bats roosting inside. We applied for and received a grant from SANDAG to install a "bat gate" to help protect both people and the bats, and help us study this bat population. We have been amazed at how many different bats are in and around this mine. 14 species have already been documented.
We worked with the San Diego Natural History Museum to document the bats, continue our research, and take actions to protect the mine and surrounding areas.
We partner with the San Diego Natural History Museum, Bat Conservation International, local bat expert Don Albright, and others to guide our program. We hold several public education events throughout the year. Collected bat data also is used in our Nature Education Program, and to inform our open space acquisitions and restoration projects.
For more information on this project and ways to get involved, contact our Senior Program Manager, Natalie at natalie@sandiegoriver.org or call our team at 619-297-7380.
Ways to Give
Adopt a Bat
$156 for a year, or make a monthly donation of $13
Get an adoption e-certificate with information about "your" bat, and be invited to two exclusive bat events. You and your guest join other bat enthusiasts to learn first hand about these amazing animals in a small group setting. Of course, these are ceremonial adoptions, we like to keep wild bats wild! Adopt a Bat Certificate and fact sheet will be emailed to you. We will contact you to see if this is a gift for someone else.
Become a Friend of River Bats
Donate $13 or more to become a Friend of the Bats.
Friends of Bats receive early notice about our popular bat walks where local experts share the significance of our local bats and use special bat detection technology to locate these amazing critters with you.
Donate to the Bat Conservation Program
Our program seeks to protect known roosting sites, create a bat research site to collect data about these nocturnal critters, and raise awareness through bat walks, student education programs, and other activities.
Make an online donation using PayPal. To make a monthly gift, select that option after clicking the "Donate" button.
Other Donation Methods
- By mail: click here for a printable form (PDF), or send a check payable to San Diego River Park Foundation
4891 Pacific Highway, Suite 114
San Diego, CA 92110 - By phone: call 619-297-7380, Monday-Friday, 9AM - 2PM
- Venmo: @sandiegoriver and indicate for "Bats"
- Cryptocurrency is also available
- Gifts of Stock
The San Diego River Park Foundation is a 501c3 nonprofit EIN 01-0565671. All donations are tax deductible as provided by law.